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June 16, 2005
Volume 2, Issue 16
Random exchange, random book:
Off you go.
A quick note: One of our contributors, The Eschatologist, became a proud pappy this morning. Congrats to Esch and Wife on the birth of their second son!
Stacy: Divinity
‘The new gods are mad things,’ he thought. Dependent, as they were, on sheer mass of worshippers for strength, their machinations and power struggles were Titan-esque in stature. And just as destructive.
‘No wonder the weather in the northern hemisphere is always so screwy…and the humans think it's ozone layer holes,’ he chuckled to himself.
He watched as two lesser gods clashed across the middle of North America, their battle causing massive thunderheads to build in the skies. Soon the killer tornadoes would spin from the mess, killing hundreds.
He grunted in disgust. He hefted a thunderbolt and let fly.
Laurence - A New Look At The Old Gods
Contrary to popular belief, the Greek God Of Thunder Zeus and the Roman King Of the Gods Jupiter were not the same being.
Sure, they look alike, but the truth is they're not exactly alike.
You can easily tell them apart by the thunderbolts. Zeus prefers javelin-like lightning strokes with small jaggies in them while Jupiter prefers massive strokes with only three or four jaggies.
I learned this from Vulcan, who has the manufacturing contract for both.
And, yes, Vulcan actually is Hephasteus. But his real name is "Leslie."
Try being a big macho blacksmith with a name like that.
Tanya: Reverence
“How could a man become a god?” she had asked him quietly, as Greta was packing the last of his cases for the journey. To his daughter, Nell, the concepts of ‘man’ and ‘god’ still seemed like opposites.
Traveling by elephant through the jungles of central Africa now, so far from his desk job in London, with his retinue of men and strangely-dressed guides, Constable Moore recalled how much easier it had been than even he had expected. A simple gas lamp, a flintlock revolver, and a bad temper, and they were ready to kneel and worship at his feet.
Michele: This Vivisection Splits My Soul
Gods used to be born, not made. That was before the Purge, before He sent his army down to wipe out the winged, the fleet footed, the possessors of fire. The few gods and goddesses who were left went into hiding and stopped using their powers, afraid that they would be crucified or worse. Their magic thinned out as their race did, and when He closed up the heavens and disappeared, there were no gods left.
Humans tired of being godless, so government scientists, feigning interest in the good of man, created gods..
We have been at war ever since.
Andy: In the Beginning
Wakey, wakey.
Surprised?
I imagine I would be, waking up here, like this... like you.
No, no, don't try to speak. Not yet.
Shhhh.
I know, you probably thought this would never happen. Could never happen. Not to you anyway. Always so careful and cautious. Look both ways, lock the doors, la dee dah.
So pragmatic, indeed.
But, here you are.
Please, no, don't struggle. Hardly worth the effort, what with the drugs.
My rules are ever so simple; I think you'll like them.
The first one is this: I call you my child... and you call me God.
Amen.
Ted: The New Gods Part Three
Tivik knew his ship was about to die. The solar flare had loomed too quickly to avoid. But with it, came more raw power than he had ever felt.
The trees he was transporting to L-5 were precious. He had worked them for thirty years. They produced eight times the amount of oxygen as an oak, had wood the strength of steel, and respirated more water than they used in certain soils. It was the project that granted him apprentice status in the Order at such a young age.
But fifty years of training plus desperation made him a god.
From the Comments: Jim Parkinson
He will soon be among us. We know the rituals well and only desire to please Him.
When He arrives, He will provide for our needs and our wants. He will do wondrous things, producing food and water for us. He will create light from darkness. He is our Lord and Master.
We will worship at His feet when he dispenses justice for our sins. We will praise Him when He deigns to notice us. And we will praise Him even when He does not.
We cannot understand His ways. Our only desire is to hear Him say, “Good Dog.”